Mediation

Increasingly, Mediation is being seen as a successful option for helping resolve family law disputes outside of Court.

Mediation involves a neutral person (the Mediator) guiding you through a structured process to resolve the family law problem you are facing.

The mediation process:

Is completely voluntary

Is confidential

Can involve just you and the other person involved in the dispute

It can also include your lawyers for part or all of the mediation

Focuses on the needs and interests of the participants

Aims to enable you to arrive at an agreement that is of your making

The mediator cannot decide the dispute or force a decision upon you

Mediation can offer you the following benefits:

It takes less time than litigation.

The Family Court process takes time to work through. This, coupled with the general delays in the Family Court in some regions, mean it can take months or years to have your issue resolved. You can generally meet with a mediator within weeks.

It will usually cost less than litigation

It can be a lot less damaging to the relationships between the participants

This is particularly important in family disputes as there is likely to be a future, ongoing parenting or family relationship to be considered.

You retain more control over the outcome

If you seek to have the Family Court resolve your dispute, you ultimately surrender control for decision making about your problem to a Judge.

You are less limited in the aspects of your story that you tell and the range of options for resolving your problem

The solutions available to you are only limited by your imagination. By comparison, the Court is limited in the evidence it can consider and the remedies that it can order.

Solutions reached can be recorded in a legally binding Agreement

Selina Trigg is a member of the New Zealand Law Society Panel of Family Mediators and on the Ministry of Justice’s list of mediators approved for appointment by the Family Court. Whether you are at the beginning of a family law issue or you already have proceedings afoot, she welcomes the opportunity to assist you to resolve your problem.

Please contact our Principal, Selina Trigg on 282 3574 for a no obligation chat if you wish to further explore how Mediation may assist you.

Stay Out of Court

We're good in court but we know that most people want to avoid it if they can.

Our team have lots of experience and success resolving
issues without going to court. We are also able to offer alternative
dispute resolution options, including: